Utica’s Operations Center for pending storm: City Hall

Saturday

Oct 27, 2012 at 12:01 AMOct 27, 2012 at 4:55 PM

Meteorologists predict that Hurricane Sandy isn’t expected to hit until late Monday near southern New Jersey, but local officials and the American Red Cross urge Mohawk Valley residents to start preparing for the storm now.

SARA TRACEY

Meteorologists predict that Hurricane Sandy isn’t expected to hit until late Monday near southern New Jersey, but local officials and the American Red Cross urge Mohawk Valley residents to start preparing for the storm now.

Mayor Robert Palmieri conducted a meeting Saturday morning with several department heads to formulate a plan of action. The following points were a result of that meeting:

* The mayor’s conference room on the second floor of Utica City Hall was designated as the city’s Emergency Operations Center.

* Two uniformed officers certified in disaster preparedness — one from the city Police Department and one from the Fire Department — will support the mayor at all times.

* The Department of Public Works will create sandbar barriers at vulnerable locations in the Roosevelt Drive neighborhood in South Utica. The operation will be staged from a city-owned lot on the corner of Dryden Avenue and Roosevelt Drive.

* A larger meeting to “unify command and coordinate the city’s response with all other impacted agencies” will occur 7:30 a.m. Monday at the mayor’s conference room. Palmieri will make a statement after the meeting, or as conditions warrant.

Former Utica Mayor David Roefaro also issued his own warning, based on his experience with Hurricanes Irene and Lee in the past. In his last year as mayor, Roefaro worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to develop a flood prevention plan.

Roefaro said leaves may be more damaging than the predicted heavy rains and wind because the leaves can block storm drains. He urges that residents contact city officials if they believe a drain is blocked.

The Central New York Chapter of the Red Cross also is beginning to mobilize volunteers, shelters, supplies and an emergency response vehicle pending the storm, said Rosie Taravella, chief executive officer.

“The best things families can do is to get ready now by staying informed about Sandy’s progress, listening to the advice of local authorities, checking their emergency supplies, and reviewing their household’s emergency plan,” she said.

Other Red Cross tips can be found at redcross.org.

Residents also can download the free Red Cross Hurricane App for their mobile devices, which provides real-time information such as weather alerts and locations of Red Cross shelters. The app features a toolkit with a flashlight, strobe light and an “I’m Safe” button to send out social media alerts to say they are OK. There also is a First Aid app, which doles out expert advice for medical emergencies.

For more information, WUTR will be broadcasting a special 30-minute weather forecast at 6 p.m. today to prepare residents for the possible effects of Hurricane Sandy. The broadcast, hosted by meteorologist Jeff Matthews, will focus on providing updates as the storm moves up the East Coast and emergency preparation.

The National Weather Service late Saturday afternoon issued a high wind watch for Central New York for Monday morning through Tuesday.

Winds will be between 30 and 40 mph with frequent gusts of up to 50 mph. Prolonged power outages are possible.
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